The mystic test book; or, The magic of the cards. Giving the mystic meaning of these wonderful and ancient emblems in their relationship to the heavenly bodies, under all conditions; with rules and processes for reading or delineating the emblems

Front matter

Class JjZ: Book. ' ""

COPXRIGHT DEPQSrn

OR THE

Index

The Quadratic Layout ....

Delineation Under the Seven Planets

Quadration of Tarots

Diagram of the Vibrators

Parallelograms of Birth Tarots .

Chart of Magic Cross and Cubes

General Birth Tarot Transformers

Charts of Zedoic Coordinates

The Great Mystic Triangle

The Shadow of the Cross .

Chart of Minute Cards .

Chart of Normal Hour Rulers

The Zodiac Naturals

The Mystic Story of Atlantis

The Grand Cross of CM . .

Astral-Phrenology. AVith Chart

Rulings of the Zodiac

The Four Test Book Crosses

Altar Cloth Used in Tarotology and Altars of OM

Inspired Tarots. With Emblems

Tanot Value and Souls of Tarots

Transformation of Pyramid Tarots

Marvelous Birth Element Tarot

Diagrams of Twelve Month Diagrams

The Great Electric and Diamond Groups

Soruls of Other Wonderful Tarots

Four Birth Card Zodiacs and Directions

The Twelve Lights of OM and Colors

Page

CHAPTER I. Tfte l^tttfe ISooft*

IHE BOOK OF THE SEVEN THUNDERS.

"And when the Seven Thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, seal up those things, uttered by the Seven Thunders, and write them not."

"And I took the little hook out of the Angel's hand and devoured it; and to my taste it was sweet as honey; but as soon as I had devoured it, it became bitter unto my inside."

"And he said unto me, you must prophesy again before many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."

{Correct translation of Rev. JT, 4, 10 and 11.)

Dear Reader:

S a text to this work read and consider the above, and it would be as well to read the entire tenth chapter of Revelations, for the whole book is a mystic one.

If you are able to " read between the lines " you will comprehend that the " little book " that was capable of voicing the " 7 thunders," that is, the voices of the seven planets, Avas the only and original testbook of the mystic brotherhood. Did you or did anyone ever know of another book that was always made small enough to "hold in the hand?"

At last the utterances of the little book which was sealed for a time, are to be opened unto the gaze of men. At last its wonders are to be unfolded partially that we may prophesy before many peoples.

Read Chapter V of Revelations.

No other book that ever had an existence upon our planet, has within itself the wonderful properties that are indubitably attached to this little book. No other "book" has been so "sealed" with hidden emblematic meanings as to defy all attempts to " open" its pages.

It is the oldest book known and it existed long before the modern written languages were thought of.

Its history extends so far back into the dim recesses of the past, that we vdw&t per force ask our readers to take circumstantial evidence as to its early history and uses.

THE ORIGIN OF PLATIIfG CARDS.

The ancient origin and uses of "playing cards," which is the name they have been called by since the XIV Century has been shrouded in mystery, and their invention has been claimed by nearly every civilized nation upon the globe. The Chinese, Persians, Egyptians and several other ancient nations, claim the honor of their invention.

A pack of cards, said to be a thousand years old, is preserved in the Museum of the Royal Asiatic Society. It is also claimed that they have been known in India from time immemorial. — {Cyc. Brit , Art. Cards. ^

When we find a certain invention claimed by a large number of Nations, scattered over our globe, in widely separated localities, we must conclude that none of them were the inventors, but on the contrar}^, obtained the inventions of some nation preceding them by many years.

This is actually the case with our test book, as well as with many other things used in modern times.

In addition to the great length of time that has elapsed since its invention, we have the fact to contend with, that the ancient and secret order that alone understood and used this mystic book, sedulously guarded the sacred emblems from the knowledge of the outside world. They were each and every one of them sworn not to "cut, carve, paint, mark or write them" upon any substance whatever, except for use in the Temples of the Mystic Brotherhood.

MYSTIO EMBLEMS.

The test book has been called by various names, among which the " Tarot Cards" appears in many ancient and modern works. Why they are tarot cards, will be seen when we come to the the tarot or magic square department. Many modern writers however, have been misled, by supposing that some of the many substitutes for the old genuine book are the real tarot cards. For instance; we find in a work called " The Tarot of the Bohemians,^'' by "Papus," a large number of allusions to the test book, but strange to say, the writer substitutes a pack of 78 cards containing Jewish and Catholic Symbols, Popes and Devils, for the genuine cards. I quote from him a few passages.

" The Tarot pack of cards, transmitted by the Gypsies from generation to generation, is the primitive book of ancient initiation. This has been clearly demonstrated by Guillaume Postal, Court de Gebelin, Etteila, Eliphas, Levi and J. A. Vaillant. The key to its construction and application has not yet been revealed, as far as I know." (Preface to work.)

All very well, and true, if applied to the book. But what, may I ask, did the Magi of Egypt, or the Gypsies who inherited knowledge from them, have to do with Popes, Devils and "Angels of judgement" used in the bogus test book?

On pages 8 and 9, Papus says: — " The Gypsies possess a Bible, which has proved their means of gaining a livelihood, for it enables them to tell fortunes; yes; the game of cards called the Tarot, which the Gypsies possess, is the Bible of Bibles. It is the book of Thoth Hermes Trismegistus, the book of Adam, the book of primitive Revelations of Ancient Civilizations.

"Thus whilst the Freemason, an intelligent and virtuous man, has lost the tradition; while the priest, also intelligent and virtuous, has lost his esoterism; the Gypsy, although both ignorant and vicious, has given us the key which enables us to explain all the symbolism of the ages."

The work from which the above quotations are made, was handed to me by a friend, and upon reading the headings of chapters, I was delighted, thinking that a feast was in store, fori found such headlines as "The Astronomic Tarot;

Egyptian Astronomy; The Four Seasons; Application of the Tarot to Astronomy; Astronomy and Astrology; Fortune Telling by the Tarot," etc. But a perusal of the chapters under these head lines gave no light whatever upon occultism. The cards recognized by the author, being worthless as a test hook and wholly useless as a tarot hook.

Reader, do not be misled by any of the so-called occult works upon the subject. They are very numerous and all quote and re-quote from each other, but it is the old story of the " blind leading the blind," and we can see without glasses, behind all this dust throwing, the secret hand of the great enemy of our order, and the enemy of science.

The Egyptians were not the originators of the sacred Test Book. The only people that were ever so situated as to possess the knowledge and acquirements necessary for such a work, lived long anterior to the Egyptians.

That nation was the Atlantiaks. This test book was the crystalization of ages upon ages of observation of the stars and planets, coupled with observations of the actions of mankind as known in that day.

Atlantis had an old and a grand civilization. She was the last remaining portion of a vast continent, that had existed for more than four hundred thousand years, where the great Atlantic Ocean now tosses its waves.

The engraving shows the remnant left, after untold thousands of years of wear and tear of the elements had degraded the continent and cast a great part of the detritus upon what afterwards became the Continent of America.

Upon a certain portion of this land, somewhat to the South-East of the geographical center thereof, existed high-

THE MYSTIC TEST BOOK.

lands from which the land sloped in all directions by gentle undulations unto the sea. On this highland there were other much higher elevations in the shape of mountains, between which a most beautiful and fruitful valley reposed.

In the center of this valley, a small, nearly round lake reflected on its mirrored surface the mountain tops and the pinnacles of palaces and temples.

THE FINAL KINGDOM OF ATLANTIS.

Upon a large rock in the middle of the lake, the Atlantians builded the palaces of her Kings, gorgeous with costly stones and metals. Grand bridges lead to an embankment built entirely around the lake, except at four places to the N. S. E. and West, reserved for entrances by water. Upon this ring resided the Nobles of the Court and their families.

Outside the ring of land was a canal, used for purposes of pleasure, and from this, canals branched outward to a "beltcanal" surrounding the entire capitol. From the belt canal, other canals were cut between the mountains, North, South, East and West, where the water found its way to the sea by four rivers, as shown upon the map.

These rivers were kept constantly supplied with water by the copious rain-fall attracted by the mountain group about the capitol, and the good people residing in the four quarters of the island of Atlantis, used the four rivers as highways to their capitol and to transport their products thither.

Reader, Atlantis was the only place on this earth where four rivers flowed from one source. The only place where four Kings reigned in one capitol. The " Garden of Atlantis," as the island was called, for the inhabitants took rich earth and covered the rock many feet deep therewith, was planted with every tree and fruit to delight the palate or the eye of man.

In the midst of this garden stood the palace of the Kings, and the grand Temple of Wisdom, the Temple of her Priesthood, where the " Religion of the Stars" was the only religion known or practiced. This temple was the " tree of knowledge," against which the champions of revealed religion have cast their church thunderbolts and anathemas for ages and ages. " In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die," is a formula that the church endeavored for ages and ages to make true. Thousands and millions of poor devoted followers of the truth who have ventured to taste the "forbidden fruit" have perished for it.

The first "Garden of Eden" was at the North Pole; the last, built in commemoration of the first, was on the island of Atlantis.

We have only given a rough sketch, of what could be expanded into a large book, but it is enough to start the mystic mind into making a study of the various proofs given in other works upon this subject.

About fifteen thousand years ago, Atlantis was in the height of her glory, with her colonies planted in all parts of the world, accessible to her commerce. Her strongest possessions, however, were situated in Egypt and South America, although she had cities as far north as the great lake that covered what is now Michigan and the chain of lakes surrounding that state.

For instance, the great city of Bab, stood 14,600 years ago, nearly where her modern representative, Chicago, now stands. Only the river, which is a small affair in this age, was then a wide and beautiful stream, flowing_/rom the " Gfeat-Lake-of-the-Northland" to the ocean, nearly 300 miles farther north than where New Orleans is now.

Nearly fourteen thousand nine hundred years ago, or about B. C. 13,000, the order of the Magi dedicated their first Temple in Egypt; the country which was destined to become the theater of the future exploits of the mystic brotherhood for thousands of years.

As long as Atlantis stood, she held the supreme jurisdiction over all parts of the earth, and Egypt was of coursesubordinate to her in the occult and spiritual line.

But the time came a few hundred years later, when a terrible catastrophe hurled the rocky foundations from beneath Atlantis and in a day and night of the most heart-

THE MYSTIC TEST BOOK.

rending and appalling crashes of earthquakes and thunders and lightenings, the doomed country sank beneath the waves of the Atlantic.

Nothing was left but a few mountain tops, to mark the place where a grand civilization had reigned. These mountain tops are now small islands, called the Azores, the central cluster of which mark the site of the ancient Capital.

CHAPTER II. Tfte Xletigton of tfte Stars*

THE SACRED TRIDENT OF ATLANTIS AS IT APPEARED IN THE HEAVENS 22,000 YEARS AGO.

RELIGION based upon the stars of heaven, which men had gazed upon for thousands upon thousands of years, was the most natural one that could be conceived.

Their knowledge of the planetary system was very great, for they had, by patient labor and striving, and by prolonged observation and calculation, not only gained aiarge amount of knowledge but they had, through their spiritual development, became possessed of means of gaining occult knowledge not obtainable through the physical, even with the aid of the best instruments of modern times.

Therefore the Ancient Magi taught a good, pure, scientific and rational religion, with symbolism of the grandest kind and a system of morals not surpassed by any modern system.

The world made a poor exchange when it accepted in lieu thereof, a man-made religion of gods, devils, heavens and hells; requiring an endless chain of rank absurdities to support the structure.

A BOOK OF SYMBOLS,

Any book written in a language other than symbolic, must in the course of time become nearly non-understandable

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TKelAoeiecw*^ e>texv.

through changes of language and meaning of words, to say nothing of loss through translations from translations, etc. But symbols are the same in all tongues and among all peoples.

The German maiden understands the meaning of a kiss and gives it the same interpretation as does the English or Spanish maiden.

Thus the heart is an emblem of love the world over. The diamond an emblem of wealth.

The Ancient Magi understood this principle and they also understood the deeper hidden principle that underlies all symbolism, that is that there i§ a spirit force back of everything that exists; that the spirit force or astral light of a symbolic thing becomes ajixed principle through the mind and spirit force of man acting upon it for ages and ages.

A materialist cannot understand this, for his mmd cannot grasp the meaning of spirit or mind.

When the writer was young, the coffin was stained and varnished usually only a few hours before being used, so that the peculiar smell came to be closely associated with death and funeral sermons.

I have conversed with many people regarding the sensations experienced by myself whenever I smell fresh varnish, and I find that nearly all whom I have compared notes with have recognized the same thing. A shudder and peculiar sinking of vibration connected with death. Thus, by the mere association for a few generations we have erected a symbol of death appealing to only one sense, smelling.

Emblems appealing to the eye have more power because they appeal by a higher vibration. The vibrations coming to the retina of the eye to produce the sensation of sight, run into hundreds of trillions per second, many times higher than those producing smell or taste. The symbols of taste are quite powerful in some directions, however, as most people have observed.

SYMBOLISM OF NUMBERS,

At the very foundation of all symbolism lie mathematics and geometry. In fact, the universe itself is built up, from the smallest particle seen under the compound microscope, to the largest sun or even Nebula, on exact geometrical and mathematical principles.

Men have simply followed Nature's lead in the symbolic use of numbers. The number seven is interwoven throughout the very warp and woof of Nature's handiwork. In all ancient books we find a divine plan of sevens extending through the pages. Genesis is written from first to last on a number plan. The great pyramids of Egypt are bristling throughout with a wonderful plan of mathematical and geometrical calculation, based upon knowledge of the grandest kind.

The basis of all numbers is one. The basis of all life is one. The basis of all that exists is one, the Universal Ego. But this number must be infinite, for the universe is infinite both in duration and extent. In fact the Universal Ego is made up of a countless number or entities, each in itself infinite in certain ways. Thus we can say, that there is an infinite number of suns, an infinite number of uninhabited worlds; an infinite number of inhabited worlds; an infinite number of satellites, in the universe. For there can be no end to space, and the same law that peoples one portion with countless numbers of heavenly bodies, must operate to produce them everywhere.

The Ancient Magi adopted, as their representation of infinity, a circle; for the very significant reason that a circle has no beginning or end and thus fulfills two of the conditions. They reasoned that the number one followed by an infinite number of circles would be a fit symbolical and mathematical representation of the Infinite One.

KUMBER OF THE INFINITE.

Later discoveries have proved that this is a wise thought and leads to many wonderful demonstrations of truth.

THE DIVINE OR SOUL NUMBER SEVEN.

The number 7 represents the soul in nature, and therefore becomes the center of all symbolic numbers, so to speak.

We find the sacred number interwoven into all the religious systems known on our planet, and the very warp and woof of Creation seem to bristle with sevens.

The sacred number of the Magi, and one that has been known in our symbolism as the strangest of all, is this

14 2857

Composed of twice 7: 4 times 7: 8 times 7 with the Ego added to the last figure.

It is a wonderful number, in a hundred different ways and is used in our temple work a great deal. We shall give some of the strange properties in various parts of this book.

It is evolved by dividing the number of the Infinite by the Soul number 7. Keep up the division to all eternity and you get nothing but the sacred number 142857 over and over. The wonders are best illustrated however with the emblems of the test book, as the reader will see further along.

The number 7 is the center of each suit of the test book, as can be best exemplified by the following.

THE MYSTIC TEST BOOK.

ILLUSTRATION IN SUIT OF HEARTS.

o

V

The mystic number can be represented in the emblems of krjowledge as follows:

V V

V

Change any card from right to left and you get a true product by some number.

Change the Ace of Clubs to the other end and you have the product of the sacred number by 3. Place the 7 to the left and you have the product by 5.

Suppose you wish to multiply the sacred number by 15,

Set down the number 142857 Take 7 to begin, thus 714285

Add together 2142855 which is 15 times the number.

But you could have taken 2 from the right hand figure and by placing it at the left you would have obtained the same result.

Multiply the sacred number by 7 and you obtain a product all in nines.

THE OCCULT PROPERTIES OF THE NO. 9.

The number nine is the representative of another phase of symbolism representing the duality of the physical, plus the deific seven.

Therefore we find in tarotology a wonderful blending of these two numbers in harmonious relations in thousands of ways.

So much has been written concerning the mystic qualities of the number nine, that it will be unnecessary to go into the subject at much length in this work. All products of nine and sums of products as well as products of sums have an N**^ root of nine.

Many occult demonstrations have been given by means of a knowledge of the properties of this mystic nine.

Take any number, large or small, and place with it a reversal of itself and subtract one number from the other and the difEerence will always reduce to nine, and is always a multiple of that number.

Example— 356781 Reversed— 187653

Difference=169128=N 9 Take any numljer and subtract from it the sum of its own digits and the difference always has an N*^ root — nine.

THE MYSTIC STAR TAROT.

One of the most wonderful combinations of the 7 and 9 properties is found in the Star Tarot of the Ancient Magi. This Star is composed of 2 equilateral triangles, one dark and one light, representing Darkness and Light of astronomy or the body and soul or physical and spiritual in nature.

Each triangle represents 3 from its geometrical quality. United by multiplication, 3 times 3 or 9. The tarot, or Magic Square in the center is a 3 times 3 tarot with niiie as its central figure.

Upon each pomt of the star is seen an emblem card from the Mystic Test Book, which taken by spot values represents the sacred number 142857 in regular order as the earth moves about the sun

The spot values of any two opposite emblems added together produce 9, the Central Card spot value.

The Quarter values added in the same manner make 5, or the 9 minus the quadrature or 4 in the square.

The Solar values and spirit values have like properties which will be taken up later.

The writer has spent days in study of this Mystic Chart and still finds new wonders upon nearly every examination of it. The combinations of 7 and 9 are truly wonderful, and show the product of a master mind.

We shall again produce it under the head of tarotology and perhaps a third time to illustrate the spirit of numbers and the spirit of potentials in medicine.

All this leads us to an intelligent consideration of the true nature and meaning of the symbolism used in the test book. We find that it consists of a union of the symbols of time, of numbers, of human relations, of spirituality, geometrical forms and astronomy, all within a small compact space without words to be misconstrued, misunderstood or mistranslated.

We find that everything about these mystic emblems has its particular meaning even to the forni in which the spots are arranged.

ASTRONOMICAL AERANGEMENT.

The 52 emblems or pages represent the 52 Aveeks in a year.

The 12 court emblems represent the 12 months in a year.

The 13 cards in each suit represent the sun and the 12 signs of the Zodiac.

The four suits represent the 4 seasons.

Chart showing the emblems arranged to illustrate the above arrangement will be found on preceding page.

In the spring of the year the birds mate. In the springtime of life or the first quarter, love is the master passion. The heart was therefore chosen as the emblem of the first quarter and the first season.

The next stage of life is represented by the trefoil or clover leaf of summer. Knowledge is best gained and retained in the summer of life, the second period.

Therefore the shamrock or " club," became the emblem of knowledge, intelligence, heat, argument, or even quarrels and law suits under some planets.

The third season, autumn, has for its emblem the diamond, representative of wealth. The third period of man's life is the one in which he is best able to gain wealth. In the fall of the year the crops are sold and the wealth of the harvest realized.

Winter or the fourth quarter of the Zodiac, is represented by the spade or acorn. By a strange and yet natural transformation, the acorn, which represented the symbolism of the death and burial of the physical form was changed among some nations to the spade which represented the same thing. But the acorn, when planted in the soil, sends forth a life principle which becomes a new tree in time. So it had a deeper signification than the spade, which symbolizes death without resurrection.

But the spade being an instrument of labor, it becomes a symbol of labor and death combined.

In addition to the quadratic division of the test book there is a two-fold division into dark and light, finally becoming black and red. These symbolize night and day astronomically. The darkness and light of life etc., as applied to man. The 52 emblems being multiplied by the 7 planets under which they rule in succession, make the days in the year, less one. There being no ruling card for the 31st of December.

The Ancient therefore used the 365th day of the year as a holiday, or festival day, doing no work upon that day.

A very few years ago quite a radical change was made in the style of the Court Cards by the manufacturers, by making them " double headers." Before this the Kings and Knaves had legs and feet showing below their Court robes. But the mystic emblems were preserved as far as possible and yet appear as of yore.

The "winged globe" with its seven balls, emblem of mercury, is yet borne by the king of wisdom, and each of his brothers bear secret emblems that have survived the changes of centuries.

Their hair and beards yet curl as in the olden time as they hold up the sword of justice or the battle axe of power.

The Queens look from the same Egyptian eyes, wear the same garb, and hold modestly in their hand the secret lotus flower of innocence and virtue.

The good and industrious queen of spades has not even laid aside her emblem of labor, in all the ages past.

i

And our good friends, called "Jacks" by some, emblematic of the younger and unmarried portion of the male persuasion, still bear their little emblems. A mystic leaf is seen in the hand of one; but few persons could guess its meaning. They still wear the curled locks. Two being young and two older, the difference can usually be seen upon their faces.

They were originally honest men all, but, being next the Koyal Couple, the accceptance of bribes, in modern times, by those in like position, transformed them into "Knaves."

And Knaves they remain to this day.

Now, good friends, some of you may ask, why it is that these characteristics, appertaining to this book and to none other in existence, have been preserved in a world where everything else has changed. Why have not. the engravers and printers changed them entirely out of their original form as they have everything else?

Why have they kept them confined to the same number, 52, as of yore?

There could have been no law to compel this wonderful thing.

Why is it then, that, as one authority states, "a pack of cards, substantially the same as those in use now, known to be over a thousand years old, is in existence."

The only anathema ever pronounced against those who should change, by taking away or adding to this book, was promulgated only to the members of the order and has come down to us only as an attachment, fastened upon the end of the mystic book of Revelations, one of the few books written by " inspiration " in the entire Bible.

That could have possessed no terrors, for it has not even protected that ancient work from thousands of changes, interpolations and errors.

Reader, you may well ask these questions. The answer is this: Manufacturers, interested church men and inventors have attempted time and time again to change the figures, the emblems, the faces, and even the number of cards in this book. During and after the war of the Rebellion a heavy tax was placed upon cards containing 52 emblems to th© pack, or having the well known emblems, hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades upon them.

Manufacturers attempted to change the emblems to certain war emblems, such as crossed swords, cannons, etc; the Court cards were changed to high army oflScers. One ambitious inventor had beautifully engraved modern kings and queens upon his make of cards Queen Victoria herself appearing as the queen of hearts.

But all in vain. Fortunes were squandered to no purpose. The people ivould not have them at anij price. Soldiers would "hang on" to the old, well worn and greasy "test book," and when that could no longer be used, would pay a dollar for a new one, while the gaudy new style cards were cast contemptuously into the ditch by the road-side.

These changes have been attempted in other countries. In Italy and several other Catholic countries, interested parties have thought to do away with this little book, which they call the "devil's picture book," by introducing a highly colored lot of cards with cups and virgins and bells and other devices upon the faces. But you cannot get even an Irishman to use them, and in spite of extensive advertising they have fallen flat.

In the meantime, the manufacturers of the genuine old magic book, have grown wealthy and sell at present only in 100 gross lots, to dealers.